THE FINAL SCENE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1930, Page 12

THE FINAL SCENE

MUNN QUIET AND CALM

DECLARATION OF INNOCENCE

(By Teleoraph.)

(Special to "Tho Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

When at 8.22 p.m. tho jury returned and the foreman announced that the prisoner had been found guilty, the Court was densely packed, just as it had been every day of tho trial, but, with the jury's verdict expected last evening, the crowd was some hundreds larger than before, while outside tho Courtroom and in the corridors: many hundred* were unable to gaii admission. Just after 8.15 tho Court Orderly was noticed to run down tho corridor and rap on tho door of the room occupied by Mr. E. 11. Northcroft, prisoner's counsel. He then ran to the quarters of tho Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. B. Meredith. Ttis was A .dear intima-

tiou that the jurymen were ready to return immediately. The chatter among the spectators in and out of the Courtroom ceased, and there was a atmosphere, the crowd realising that the fate of the prisoner would be<known in a few seconds. Mr. Northcroft entered the Court, accompanied by his associate, Mr. L. K. Munn. Just behind him came Mr. Meredith and his associate, Mr. F. M'Carthy. Silence was called by the Court Orderly and immediately his Honour Mr. Justice Herdman entered and took his scat. ' * The orderly took one look around the Court, and then nodded to the constable in charge of the door leading into the Courtroom from the corridor nearest to the jury room. The door was opened and tho twelve men, with grave faces, walked steadily in and stood stoically in a row in front of the jury box. The last to appear was the prisoner, Arthur Thomas Munn. With steady step and 'd erect ho mounted the stairway and reached the dock. One glance ho gave at the faces of the jurymen and th n faced the Judge. The. Ecgistrar: :"Gentlemen, have you ifgreed upon your verdict?" Tho foreman: "Yes; we have." The Registrar: "How find ye; guilty or not guilty?" The foreman: "Guilty." His eleven comrades nodded assent. The jury added a following rider that they wished to place on record their appreciation of Dr. Dudding's high sense of public duty. When asked if he had anything to say Munn, speaking quietly and clearly, replied: "Your Honour, I only wish to say that I am innocent of the crime I have been convicted of. The unfortunate position I am placed in is that my innocent acts have been slightly altered so that they appear against me. I know most about her illness, but my acts have been mis-stated and made to appear as acts against mo." When silence was called his Honour put on the black cap. He said: "You will be taken from here to the place from which you came . and then to" a place of lawful execution, and there be .hanged by the neck until you are dead." fHunn looked unflinchingly before him and then, when the warder touched him on the arm, walked from the dock. The Judge, in a low voice, thanked the jurors for their services through a long and arduous trial and excused them" from further service for five years. As the cell door was unlocked to enable Munn to leave the Courthouse and enter the gaol van he was noticed to be calmly smoking a cigarette. •